Internet Corporation Listing Service - Scammish

Today I got a unsolicited piece of direct mail today from an Internet Corportaion Listing Service. My wife checks the snail mail and she yelled out "honey you got a bill for your website".....a bill whaaa??? I thought godaddy never sends physical mail. My senses were peaked, keenly I opened up the envelope to a rather "bill-like" letter...the front looked like an invoice for $35.00. The line item: Annual Listing (march 15th, 2008- march 15th, 2008)

"Please make checks payable to the Internet Corporation Listing Service....Do not send cash"

Who is this ICLS...are they the new sheriff of the webernet; sent to quell the rebellion? Sadly no, they are simply a somewhat unethical business that charges you $35.00 for submitting your domain or website on "14 Major" Search Engines.

Folks, here's a little tip: submitting your website on the Search Engines is free....free as in beer.

ICLS is not really lying I am sure that they actually do submit your site for listing on "14 Major" search engines. The ethical part comes in, in the fact that they neglect to mention that submission has little to nothing to do with actual organic search engine positions. They do provide free tracking subscription on eight keyword phrases...again a valid service but something that can be done for free, in less than 5 minutes. Combine these factors with the somewhat deceptive direct mail technique of making a solicitation that looks like an invoice and you have the makings of an organization that I personally wouldn't do business with; but hey thats up to you.

Fortunately turning over the pamphlet led to some redemption, here they have included the obligatory:

"This is a solicitation for the order of goods or services, or both, and not a bill, invoice or statement of account due."

It's bolded no less, not sure if that's a regulatory issue but big ups to ICLS for not totally burying that fact. Finally towards the bottom of the sheet I saw an item that nearly caused me to snourke (snort/puke) my Mountain Dew.

A check box for 5 years @ $140.00 non refundable of course.

dang man some idiots are out $140.00 bucks, serves em right I guess if they didn't take the time to read the flipping thing.

**this post is merely my opinion they do provide a service, its the cost and caliper of said service on which I comment.